The female hygiene company Tampax decided on Sunday to express support for biological women who want to live as men by posting on social media that biological sex doesn’t determine who has menstrual cycles.
“Fact: Not all women have periods,” Tampax posted on its Twitter account. “Also a fact: Not all people with periods are women. Let’s celebrate the diversity of all people who bleed. #mythbusting #periodtruths #transisbeautiful.”
While a very small percentage of people — just like the percentage of people who embrace a transgender lifestyle — expressed support, the backlash has been rolling in, according to the UK Daily Mail:
Some feminists online accused Tampax’s owner, Procter & Gamble, of ‘erasing’ women with their message.
Among those stoking the flames online were Laurence Fox, who wrote: ‘I’m genuinely interested to know who at Tampax thought it might be a good idea to gamble your entire client base (Biological Women) against this anti-factual and anti woman, virtue vomit.’
Writer and feminist Susan Dalgety, who backed author JK Rowling amid a transgender row earlier this year, said: ‘It’s a biological fact you need a uterus to menstruate, and that only females have one. Males do not.
“I have no idea why Proctor & Gamble thought it was a good marketing tactic to alienate their sole customer base in this way,” Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, founder of the Standing For Women campaign group, said in the Mail report. “They are virtue signalling. It’s quite frightening. When you try and include all identities into womanhood, you ultimately exclude women.’
Procter & Gamble doubled down in a statement.
‘Tampax was founded by a female entrepreneur more than 80 years ago. We’ve been supporting and protecting women ever since, and that will never change,” the statement said.
“At the same time, we’re also committed to diversity and inclusion, and are on a continual journey to understand the needs of all those who use our products,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, periods are a taboo subject for many —regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity – and it’s critically important that everyone feels like they belong and that they can be their unique selves when having these conversations, purchasing or using period products.”
“Together, we can help create a world free from bias,” the statement said.
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